Jaime King isn't ashamed anymore.
The day after a group of sexual assault survivors joined Lady Gaga onstage at the Academy Awards, King revealed that she was abused as a minor in a series of powerful messages on social media.
Inspired by her powerful Oscar performance, King tweeted at Gaga, thanking the singer for helping her to come to terms with "years of abuse as a minor in the industry."
Gaga responded on Tuesday, calling King "a warrior leading the way," before sharing a post about the experience of standing among the sexual assault survivors on the Oscar stage.
The model and actress, who is best known for her role as Lemon Breeland on the CW's "Hart of Dixie," followed up her initial tweet with a longer Instagram post.
In the moving caption, King opens up about her abuse -- "It started at 12" -- and mentions many individuals, including Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham, who have supported her along the path to self-acceptance and allowed her speak honestly about her experience.
"Thank you to myself to not choosing to not make this a cover story though that was what was suggested to me but to express from my heart to you all personally which felt the most honest way for me to speak," King wrote in her post. "Thank you to my Soul, body, mind, emotions, my inner child, my younger self, I love you. It's a night of celebration, of change, of not being ashamed of your race, creed color, situation, circumstances and environment, or past."
"Now I am free, somewhat," she continued. "Thank you for the switch that went off inside finally when I realized my silence said I cannot help nor change and that is not who I am. I love you all very much for creating a safe space. The time is now."
The "Sin City" actress also mentions her husband, director Kyle Newman, whom she married in 2007 and with whom she has two children, James and Leo. Taylor Swift, who King thanks for "being there no matter what," is Leo's godmother.
King's story comes at a crucial moment, as the conversation surrounding sexual assault has revealed that even those at the highest levels of the entertainment industry are not safe from abuse.
Gaga opened up about being raped as a teenager in a TimesTalk in December and pop star Kesha continues to battle DJ/producer Dr. Luke, who she accused of sexual assault and battery, in court. By lending her voice to the chorus of individuals calling for real change in how we address and prevent these crimes, King serves as an inspiration for the hundreds of thousands of people who are victims of sexual assault every year.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, it's not your fault. You are not alone. Help is available 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE and online.rainn.org.
